Plastic building and construction unit



1366- 1957 s. SOGARO PLASTIC BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION UNIT Filed April 28, 1955 I NIIQ I II I I IH H INVENT OR Laws 5. 509070. Y

ATTORNEY KM N United States Patent F .2, 2,816,329 ICC I Patented Dec. 17, 1957 PLASTIC BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION UNIT Louis S. Sogaro, East Paterson, N. J.

Application April 28, 1955, Serial No. 504,463

1 Claim. (Cl. 20-2) My present invention relates to a translucent plastic construction and plastic building unit.

It is an object of my invention to provide a readily assembled and knocked-down building construction for use as a greenhouse, chicken house, garage, shed and like.

Assuming, for example, that the present construction is used as a greenhouse to cover the regular outdoor hot beds or cold beds.

The translucent non-breakable plastic sheets forming the building construction will replace the breakable wooden framed glass constructions previously used for such purpose. Also, the sunshine and light of day pass through the present novel plastic sheets as effectively as heretofore with regular glass panels.

Another object is to provide a novel translucent panel of synthetic plastic formed with connecting flanges and reinforcment flanges adapted to be assembled to thereby form as many various sizes of constructions as may be needed.

Another object is to provide a synthetic plastic panel building construction, which may be ornamental and impregnated with a permanent color, whereby painting is not required and a construction result which is unaffected by weather conditions.

A further object is to provide a frameless building construction.

With the above and other objects in view which will become apparent from the following description, the invention consists of the novel panel unit and the novel arrangement and combinations thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of one end of a building construction fabricated according to one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the building construction of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section view taken through two connected building panels along the line 33 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a partial perspective view of another form of my invention;

Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of a third form of my invention illustrating another novel roof rib or flange connection;

Figure 6 is a partial cross section of a fourth form of panel unit flange and connecting arrangements with a series of scalloped lapped tabs for side panel connections; and

Figure 7 is another arrangement of the building adapted for use as a half-section construction for cooperative connection to an existing wall or structure.

Referring in detail to the several views and first with reference to form one illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is a complete building made from translucent panels 10 of molded sheets of synthetic plastic, such as acrylic resins, and polymers or co-polymers capable of producing a translucent sheet. These sheets or panels 10 may .be rectangular and are formed with turned side connect 2 ing edges, such as apertured flanges 11 and spaced substantially parallel reinforcement ribs 12, see Figure 3. Each panel 10 is molded into a concavo-convex rectangular configuration with the lower and upper end edge of each panel formed with a footing flange 13 and a roof flange 14.

The respective lower footing flanges 13 are formed with fastener apertures to facilitate securing the assembled panel sections 10 to a base, such as side footings 15 and 16, while the upper or roof flanges 14 are alignably apertured to receive fasteners 17. The panel side connecting flanges 11 are secured together byfasteners 18, and some of the panels 10 are cut out to provide a ventilator -19 formed with an exterior collar 20 for a closure cap 21 pivotally secured by a hinge 22 to a respective supporting panel 10, see Figures 1 and 2.

One of the roof flanges 14 is provided with a lapped extension 23 adapted to more effectively seal the roof joint when the flanges 14 are secured together by fasteners 17. After a group of panels 10 are secured together by fasteners 18 and a complete side building wall is thus assembled, the footing flanges 13 are then secured to the respective footings 15 and 16 by fasteners 24. Then the roof flanges 14 are fastened together by fasteners 17 to thereby complete the sides and roof of the construction. After the assembly of the sides and roof, the ends of the building construction are still open.

Accordingly, end panel sections 25, 26 and 27 are installed at each end. These panels are shaped and proportioned to define a doorway and are formed with fastener openings for alignment with the openings in the end side flange ll of each section of assembled panels 10. and are secured to the flange by fasteners 28. The lower or footing edge of each respective panel 25 and 27 is formed with an exterior flange 29 and 30, respectively, formed with fastener apertures for securement to the end footings 31 and 32 by fasteners 33. Such footings and panels are preferably duplicated at the opposite end of the building.

A door frame 34 is mounted in the aperture defined by panels 25, 26, and 27 and is bolted to flange 35 of panel 25, flange 36 of panel 26 and flange 37 of panel 27, by fasteners 38.

The frame 34 mounts a door 39 attached thereto by hinges 40 and 41.

Figure 4 is a second embodiment of the invention, particularly in connection with the roof ribs 42 and 43 of the assembled panels, whereby bolts are not needed, and whereby the lower edge 44 of the side panels 10 lap over the exterior side of the footing member 45.

With this arrangement the folded over roof rib 43 provides a groove into which slidably fits the roof rib 42 and makes a fluid-tight joint.

Figure 5 is a third embodiment of my invention and also relates to the roof ribs of the assembled panel sections. In this form the roof ribs 46 and 47 extend exteriorily of each panel 10 and are clamped together by a channel strip 43. This strip slides on and over the flanges and is formed with crimps or indentations 49 to lock it in place.

Figure 6 is a fourth embodiment of my invention relating to the side panel interior flanges. In this form the flanges 50 and 51 are secured together by fasteners 52. However, the exterior surface of each panel 53 and 54, respectively, is alternately formed with a tab, and a correspondingly adjacent countersunk portion of a size corresponding to the tab.

For example, panel 53 is formed with alternate tabs 55 and intermediate countersunk portions 56, and panel 54 is formed with alternate tabs 57 and countersunk portions 58. The tabs 57 are staggered with respect to tabs 55,*"but=are adjacenttoportions 56 so as to seat flush in said "countersunk 'portions. Therefore, when the tabs 55 and 57 are interleavedwwith the flanges 50 and 51 fastened together there isprovided a flush lapped joint on the exterior side of the building.

A fifth arrangement o'f'the'inventionis illustrated in Figure 7, wherein'the side panels 10 'are substantially of the same formas in Figures 1 and 2. However, in this arrangement there is a wood or concrete base 60 to secure the panel footing flange 61 thereto, and a single unit end panel 62 with an'opening'formed therein for a door 63 is'provided, whereby the sidewall construction of panels is attached by-theroof'rib or flange-64 to an existing vertical wall '65. This construction is very quickly and eco nomically erected' for smaller operations.

"Thus thereis-provide'd a novel sheet plastic building panel,' -wliich is a single structural unit requiring no ad ditional frame structures. "Also this panel unit may be assembled inside and roof formations to form building structures of varying sizes and shapes to suit most any need.

Without further description it is believed that the foregoing description'is su'fliciently complete, clear, concise and positive'in terms to enable any person skilled in the art topractice this invention. However, it is to be expressly understood that although only a few forms of my invention are illustrated in detail, that other elements and combinations of elements and panels, which may now occur to others are likewise intended to be covered hereby. To determine the scope of my invention, reference should be had to the appended claim.

'What is claimed is:

A building having arched sides and roof formed of synthetic-plastic concavo-convex panels, said panels on each side of the building each having an inwardly directed flange along each side edge and along one end edge, the opposite end edge of each panel being provided with an outwardly directed flange, each panel being 'further;provided with a 'reinforcingrib disposed between and parallel with said side flanges, fastening means connecting said side flanges'together and fastening means connecting said flanges along said one edge of the panels togethen a*footing-disposed--alongeach--side of the building, fastening means connecting said outwardly directed flanges to said footings, the'inwardly directed end flanges of the panels at one side of the building being disposed at the ends of the panels in longitudinal alignment, and the inwardly directed end flanges of the panels at the other side of the buildingbeing disposed inwardly of the ends of the corresponding panels with the flanges engaged andwith'an-edge-portion of the last'namedpanels overlapping theends .of -,the first named panels in the provision of a weather seal, each of certain of said panels at each sideof-the building being provided with a ventilating opening, a collar .surrounding said opening, and a closure cap pivotally connected to said panel and telescopically engageable over said collar, each end of said building comprising a panel adjacent each side thereof and a panel adjacent the top thereof, said panels having adjacent straightedges providing a door opening, the arcuate margins of saidlastpanels being secured to the outermost flanges on said side and roof panels, a door frame mounted insaid'door opening, and a door pivotally supported in said opening.

References'Cite'dinthe file'of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 357,144 Buttler Feb. 1, 1887 2,351,209 :Hobbs June 13, 1944 2,392,920 ,Hanisch et al. Jan. 15, 1946 2,407,252 Closs Sept. 10, 1946 2,436,543 Blaski Feb. 24, 1948 2,705,349 Shaw Apr. 5, 1955 2,717,060 Collins Sept. 6, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 381,959 Great Britain Oct. 17, 1932 .OTHER REFERENCES Popular Mechanics, March 1951, page'157.

American Builder, July '1943,-page'49. 

